wrong caulk? what a mess

[terafferty]

Last month we put in a tub surround and used DAP® ALEX PLUS® Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone behind it at the bottom where it meets the tub and around every seam. I guess this was the wrong caulk.

Now the stuff is just a white goo at the bottom surround seam that meets the tub and doesn't hold back water. It is a mess.

I'm wanting to put down G.E. Silicone II Bathroom Tub & Tile Sealant as a replacement.

My question is, should I pull the new tub surround from the walls and clean out the previous caulk behind the surround at the bottom and just start all over? I figure the new surround will need to be replaced after pulling it from the wall. Oh geez....

Or, after I clean up the bottom and the seams, then let this whole mess dry over the weekend, can I apply the new caulk over the existing surround seams and bottom that meets the tub?

Thanks

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation" Henry David Thoreau

[terafferty]

Ok, just got back from the Hardware store I bought the stuff from. The older man said he sold me the DAP Kwik Seal Tub & Tile Adhesive Caulk

I don't see a date on it anywhere. No telling how old the stuff is then? No web site or 800 number to call... The only DAP contact info on it is Phone: BR549... just kidding

I'm going to clean it up and let it dry over the weekend then apply the G.E. Silicone II Bathroom Tub & Tile Sealant.

I'm driving into the city to a big store and get the GE stuff

[William W. Plummer]

I have made many messes with the Silicone glop. Now, I use masking tape and some generic caulk. A wet finger smooths the joints. And I keep a wet rag to clean my finger(s). I've been very happy with the results. Maybe I'll try silicone with masking tape, but why bother.

[longshot]

there's a vinyl tape that bends in at 90 degrees it will outlast any caulk & you can go right over that white goop. (clean up enough to get a good surface for the tape to stick.)

[Chris Lewis]

According to :

Interesting. I've found the ALEX PLUS caulk to be the best value in caulk I've ever used (and I've used _many_) for general exterior use.

[It's cheap, and is at least as easy to use and durable as any other except for caulk costing many times as much.]

I've never had it run. But, I've never used on a shower stall/surround/tub.

You should just have to clean it out and redo it with pure silicone. Like GE-II.

[MLD]

Now the stuff is just a white goo at the bottom surround seam that meets the tub and doesn't hold back water. It is a mess.

I'm wanting to put down G.E. Silicone II Bathroom Tub & Tile Sealant as a replacement.

My question is, should I pull the new tub surround from the walls and clean out the previous caulk behind the surround at the bottom and just start all over? I figure the new surround will need to be replaced after pulling it from the wall. Oh geez....

Or, after I clean up the bottom and the seams, then let this whole mess dry over the weekend, can I apply the new caulk over the existing surround seams and bottom that meets the tub?

Thanks

Might not be applicable, but I ran into a similar problem a while back. I used the GE Silicone II Bathroom Tub & Tile Sealant too. The cause of the problem (never cured and remained gooey) was the related to the fact that the Silcone was out of date. Yup, take a good look on the cartridge and you will see an "Use by date". Bought it at Home Depot, returned it and the new one has a date several years hence---it worked just fine. MLD

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Masking tape when caulking? Wow! I just use my wet finger and rag like mentioned, turns our pro looking job every time. Tony

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, GE one come in at 3 different grade. I always pay little extra for best one. Tony

[Ron]

Having used that "stuff" in my trade (glass) back in the EIGHTIES, that crap is like white diarrhea in a tube.

Let it seep out overnight, clean up the excess, and use your GE SILICONE to seal the outside of your tub.

You may even want to wait a couple of days to make sure it has stopped running out before applying the silicone.

Btw, just wipe up the excess with a dry paper towel or rag, water will reactivate that crap...LOL

[Jmagerl]

[alt.home.repair]

If you had hired a professional installer, you would not have this mess. At this point, you could very well end up ripping the entire walls down to the bare studs and starting over. Ripping the surround off the walls will damage the wallboard, etc. If you had hired a professional, the job would be done by now, and you would have saved hundreds of dollars and days of work. If you dont know what you are doing, AND YOU DONT, then dont do the job yourself.

I highly suggest you do not even touch it any further, You have done far too much damage already. Call the pros and let them do it. YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF DOING THIS JOB.

If it's too much of a mess, move to a motel until the pros redo it for you, or at least shower at a friends house and stay out of that room before you do more damage. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING AT ALL IN THAT ROOM.